The Mountain
by RobynHood3
Summary: Yami is an amateur climber and has always dreamed of climbing this mountain. Disaster strikes when an avalanche pulls away his tent; he is thrust head long into the lives of the ancient people who live inside the mountain. What will happen to the climber, will he reach the summit like he wants to? YamixOC.
1. Chapter 1

**I've put something up! This idea just came to me while I was sitting around bored at my house, it didn't start bother me until I ran our of ideas for my other stories. **

**I hope you all enjoy!**

The Mountain seemed impenetrable. No one could climb it's steepness…. Until today

Yami stood at the foot of the mountain gazing up to the summit. It had always been his dream since childhood to climb this mountain. Legends told that if you reached the summit you would understand your destiny. His tricolored hair blowing in the wind and his crimson eyes looking at the peak that stared down at him.

"I'll be there soon." He muttered

He started walking. For hours upon hours he walked. He walked until Ra finally fell and darkness came. Yami pulled out his tent and soon was fast asleep. His days passed like this until he had lost count of them.

Yami was now less than 1000 feet from the summit when darkness fell. Reluctantly, he pulled out his tent and slept.

Unknown to the climber, two teenagers stood at the summit giggling amongst themselves. Their names were Rex and Weevil. Rex had brown hair with purple bangs while Weevil had short green hair and glasses, the only thing he was allowed to have of the modernized world. They belonged to the ancient tribe that lived deep within the mountain, hiding away from people who wished to harm them.

"Are you ready?" Weevil asked Rex.

Rex gave a snort and nodded.

Rex summoned his guardian beast, King Rex, and he ordered the large dino to cause a massive avalanche. The avalanche would cause the people in the villages below the mountain to run around in a panic and Rex and Weevil found it very amusing.

The snow fell quickly from the tip of the mountain, off the tips of the trees and from the mouth of the hidden cave where the tribe leader, Solomon, was glaring out into the horizon. His grey hair was tied back and his violet eyes had a tint of anger in them. He had warned the two troublemakers about causing another avalanche and again they blatantly disobey him. He trudged back inside as the large stream of snow fell down the mountain.

Upon hearing the loud rumble of the avalanche, Yami poked his head out of the tent. He saw the white flume approach and he desperately tried to move his tent but the avalanche was coming too quickly. He dodged the avalanche at the last second and watched as his tent was pulled away. 'So much for that.' He thought.

Yami didn't want to give up the summit but he didn't know how to survive the bitter cold nights on the mountain without his tent. Yami decided that he would search for a cave and use nearby kindling to start a fire, he could also use the flame to keep away predators. He finally found a cave and settled down. He shivered in his jacket, it was just hitting the negative degrees in the high altitudes. He just wanted to sleep, his eyes opened and closed and before he fell asleep, he noticed that there was a shadow in front of him.

Hikari was amazed at the person she saw enter the cave. He had pale skin like her but he seemed more built than many of the men in the village. He had tricolored hair like her cousin, Yugi, but this new man had blonde streaks running through his locks. She brushed the man's skin and hissed at how cold he was. 'If I leave him out here, he'll die!' She thought.

She lifted the unconscious man and carried him through the secret caverns to the center of the mountain. Hikari's people have lived there for thousands of years calling upon spirits to protect them in times of need. Everyone had a specific guardian spirit and it depended on their personality. She carried him quietly into a guest room that was connected to her own and place him on the bed. 'I'll send grandfather to an early grave if he sees this, he still treats me like a child.' She joked in her mind.

"Hikari?" Yugi asked behind her, "Who is that?"

Hikari jumped and tried to think of an excuse but none came to mind. Yugi was only a few months older than Hikari but he still acted like a child sometimes. He had tricolored hair like the man and had amethyst eyes that people could see straight into his innocent soul.

"I found him in the caves nearby. He would have frozen if I had left him." She said getting blankets for the sleeping man.

"Grandpa is not going to like this." Yugi tutted at her.

"He's not going to find out." Hikari retorted, "I'm letting him rest, give him some supplies and send him home. That's all."

Yugi didn't seem convinced but he still helped his cousin keep the man warm. He went to bed thinking that something is going to go wrong.

Hikari stood near the man and rubbed some warming ointment into his visible skin. Slowly but surely the man began to reach normal temperature and she could tell that he would rest easy now. Hikari left the man to rest and went to her own room.

**Please tell me what you thought! Reviews are very much appreciated and I will see if I can respond to a couple! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! I'm back with another chapter... This one came quickly but the next couple ones will be a little harder. I hope you all enjoy!**

Yami woke and he was not in the cave that he fell asleep in. He could tell that he was in the same clothes he was in earlier, his near thermal jacket with many layered t-shirts, his black jeans, and his black boots but he was being crushed by a multitude of blankets and he was sweating like it was summertime. He had a hard time catching his breath and it took all of his strength to push the top blanket off.

Hikari had heard the blankets move from the guest room and all but ran to go check on the man. She poked her head inside the small cavern and made a small frown. The man had gotten a fever from being in the cold. Hikari ran to get a bowl of cool water and some towels. When she finally returned she saw the man's eyes for the first time. His eyes were a stunning shade of crimson, not unlike the satins that her ancestors brought when they first settled onto the mountain. Hikari composed herself and entered the cavern.

"How do you feel?" Hikari asked as she approached the bed.

Yami gave the girl a confused look. She had long black hair with red and gold highlights thrown in. Her pale skin glowed in the dim firelight and her light amethyst eyes glimmered. She was wearing a dress that seemed like it was made of furs. 'Did I die?' He thought. Hikari giggled at his expression. "You're not dead, though you would be if I didn't bring you here." Yami made a light smile, hoping it would show her that he was grateful. She understood and smiled back.

Hikari drowned a towel in the cool water and placed it on the man's forehead. Yami made a small sigh as the water cooled his heated body. He wished he could speak, he wanted to ask her where he was and what her name was. Many minutes passed and Yami felt some of his strength return.

"Who are you?" He managed.

Hikari smiled at him. She took the towel off Yami's forehead and wet it again. She didn't speak until she put the towel on his head again.

"My name's Hikari. You're inside the mountain; I found you asleep in a cave. Is it normal for you to try to sleep in near subzero temperatures?" She said with her eyebrow raised.

Yami made a sheepish smile and felt a blush spread across his cheeks, luckily the fever hid it.

"Normally, no." Yami said with more strength, "My tent was washed away by a freak accident."

"Rex and Weevil probably did it." Hikari muttered distastefully. She personally hated the two dweebs and always asked her friends Joey and Tristan to play pranks on them in her stead.

Yami heard the comment and made a small chuckle. Hikari changed the towel one more time and Yami could tell that he was starting to feel better. "Since I answered your question, will you answer mine?" Hikari asked. Yami nodded. "Who are you?"

"I'm Yami. I was visiting the villages at the bottom of the mountain for my vacation." He said.

Hikari smiled and took away the towel. Yami felt immensely better, no muscle in his body ached.

"You're going to need to rest for another day or so before you can head back down….." Hikari started.

"You want me to go back down the mountain?" Yami asked surprised, he was going to miss out on his dream because of a stupid accident?

"Yes, I do." Hikari said sharply, "I know this mountain very well and the summit is much colder than the place you were. And without your tent, you will have no warm place to rest during the nights. I'm going to give you supplies that will last you till you reach the foot of the mountain."

Yami wanted to argue but he reconsidered. He was still grateful that she rescued him even if he was angry. Yami didn't respond and listened as Hikari left the room.

Hikari felt bad when she saw Yami's expression about leaving the mountain. It was safer than still climbing. Another night in the cold would do more harm than help.

Hikari cleaned the water bowl and put away the towels she was using. She didn't go back to the room since she figured Yami would need time to calm down. She walked aimlessly around the inner caverns of the mountain until she heard Rex and Weevil laughing.

"That avalanche was a lot of fun." Weevil snickered.

Rex had some sense to stop laughing after a moment. "Though, we're gonna be in big trouble when the chief finds out what we did."

"I don't care." Weevil sneered, "He's getting old and is starting to lose his touch."

That comment made Hikari flinch in anger. How dare they insult her and Yugi's grandfather as such. She walked out to where Rex and Weevil could see her and they both paled.

"Care to repeat that, Weevil?" Hikari growled.

The two teens looked at one another and ran in the other direction. Hikari didn't bother chasing, it wasn't worth her time. She kept walking, she soon entered the main cavern. People could see the bottom of the mountain; stairs linked opposite sides of the mountain and fires roared from the sides at all times. The original tribesmen worked together with their guardian spirits to create the elaborate caves.

During her trek, Hikari bumped into the head shaman, Pegasus. He had cared for Hikari when her parents and grandparents were busy so she was used to his oddness.

"Hikari-girl!" Pegasus exclaimed, "It's like I haven't seen you in forever!"

"You saw me yesterday, Pegasus." She said with a laugh.

"It's too long!" He said dramatically.

Pegasus had always thought Hikari was lovely but he brushed away the thoughts after her and Yugi's parents died in the accident. He became a father figure for both of Solomon's grandchildren. Pegasus then noticed the guilty look on the young girl's face. "What's wrong, Hikari-girl?"

Hikari looked up at him. Pegasus must have noticed her change of mood. Her thoughts had trailed off to Yami, she still felt horrible about not letting him go to the summit.

"It's nothing, Pegasus. I must have dozed off for a second." Hikari fibbed.

Pegasus gave a small frown, he knew when Hikari was lying and he didn't like it.

Did you have another night terror?" He asked.

"No!" Hikari whined, "Seriously, I'm ok."

Pegasus wouldn't let it drop but he stopped asking her questions. They walked together in silence until they reached Pegasus' workroom. Some children were sleeping, Pegasus had been off getting medicine to care for them. Their death-like sleep reminded Hikari of the ceremony to get in touch with the guardian spirits.

You drank a potion mixed from a multitude of herbs and you slept for varying amounts of time. The spirits put the person through a trial to show that they were worthy of the spirit and if they were found worthy they woke with a small tattoo that covered the inside of their right wrist that told everyone what their spirit was. Hikari didn't like to think about if you weren't found worthy, the person never woke again.

"Hikari!" Joey called to her when he turned the nearby corner.

Hikari turned to face him and noticed that Ryou, Malik and Tristan were all with him. Joey had fluffy blonde hair and hazel eyes; Ryou was an albino so he had white hair but his chocolate eyes shone; Malik had platinum blonde hair and his violet eyes sparkled in the small light; Tristan was tanned and his dark hair stood and made a point. All of them wore the signature tribal wear of men with small variations between them.

"Hey." She greeted with a smile.

Joey huffed and puffed then gave her a smile.

"Are you going to have the ceremony?" He asked.

Hikari flinched and looked away. Members of the tribe were supposed to have the ceremony when they turned 12, Hikari was almost 18. The reason why she hasn't gone through the ceremony was because she was deathly afraid of it. She had lost her best friend because of the ceremony, not because she wasn't worthy but because her frail body wouldn't allow her guardian spirit enough strength to survive.

Hikari shook her head and looked away. Joey sighed, she needs to get over this fear, he thought. He rubbed her head and smiled.

"Don't worry, Hikari." Joey soothed, "One day you'll be able to go through it."

Hikari smiled and then Joey told her that Yugi was looking for her. She said farewell to Pegasus and went on her way. It didn't take her long to catch sight of her tricolored haired cousin.

"You needed to see me, Yugi?" Hikari asked.

Yugi nodded and dragged her off to a secluded part of the cavern they were in.

"You are going to need to be a little more careful with the person you're caring for." Yugi whispered to her.

"What's going on?" Hikari asked.

"Grandpa has given more power to Dartz. I've heard that he is going to start investigation people's rooms to see if he can find modernized items."

"That's ridiculous!" She hissed, "Grandpa wouldn't give him that much power!"

"I was there during the ceremony. Grandpa apparently doesn't know yet, but I don't think Dartz is going to let him find out."

Hikari thought for a moment. She couldn't let Dartz find Yami, he'd have him publicly executed.

"Please help me, Yugi. If you can warm me if Dartz come then I can get him to safety." Hikari pleaded.

Yugi looked torn for a moment then nodded.

"I'll help as much as I can." Yugi said with his signature smile.

Hikari hugged him tightly and ran off. She needed to check on Yami.

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Yami still sat in the bed but he was sitting up now. He took off many of the layers of clothing he was wearing to cool off a little more and hid them in a pile of blankets that he had put in the corner of the room. 'I actually thought I was going to reach the summit.' He thought, angry at himself

Voices started to come around the corner and were starting to approach the room he was in. Yami figured he should hide but there was no good hiding spaces. He saw another cavern adjacent to the one he was in and ran inside.

"I don't see the big deal about checking out the chief's granddaughter's guest room." Espa Roba said, "No one is visiting her."

Espa Roba had shoulder length blue hair and small dark blue eyes. His normal tribal wear was a light violet.

"Indeed." Dartz said in his normal drawl, "But you know that she has a heart of gold, and based on the lack of a body in that tent you found, I can finally get my hands on her."

Dartz tied his emerald green hair back with a piece of twine; his eyes were two different color, one was green while the other way yellow; he refused to wear normal tribal wear, instead he wore intricate white robes with bright greens and blues. Dartz held a deep lusting for Hikari and would often try to accuse her of crimes so that he could show that he had a 'heart of gold' and spare her, but only if she married him. Dartz knew that the fool her grandfather was would agree to anything to keep his grandchildren alive.

"Ohhh." Espa Roba said, "Now I get what you're saying."

Yami heard Dartz's chuckle in response to Espa Roba's statement and his stomach twisted. 'This man is crazy!' He thought.

The two men arrived at the guest room and proceeded to tear the room apart. Searching in every nook and cranny to find the person they were looking for. After a few minutes of searching, the two men sighed and were about to leave when Hikari spotted them.

"What are you two doing!" She said angrily, "What a major invasion of privacy!"

Dartz smiled at the young lady and tried to take her hand but she pulled it away.

"My lady," he drawled, "I had heard rumors of a modernized item being in this room, I was doing it for the good of the tribe."

'Only good for yourself.' Hikari thought.

"Just go." She ordered, her good mood utterly soured.

Dartz and Espa Roba bowed and left the room without a word of complaint. Hikari huffed and looked around the room. "Yami?" She whispered just in case Dartz was outside.

Yami poked his head out of the small entrance of the room and he sighed.

"Thank Ra that's over." Yami huffed now walking into the room.

Hikari made a small smile, grateful that Yami Hid from Dartz, and pulled out the small she had brought for him. She wasn't able to take much from the kitchens without getting caught but she got a good amount, a loaf of bread and some cooked meat.

"I brought you something to eat." Hikari said holding it out to him.

Yami thanked her, took it lightly in his hands and sat down on the bed. He was so hungry he could have eaten a horse but he decided to play it down since he was in front of Hikari. Speaking of Hikari, she was standing awkwardly on the side of the room.

"You can sit down if you want to." Yami said gesturing to the spot next to him.

Hikari sat down quickly, she had been fighting the urge leave as quickly as he had come but she also wanted to know more about Yami, like where he came from, what kind of things surrounded him on a daily basis. His life had to be more interesting than her's, always being surrounded by rocks and seeing the same faces over and over. "You seem to be be thinking about something very difficult, what's up?" Yami's voice made her jump. Yami noticed that she was very quiet and it bothered him strangely.

"I….." Hikari started, "Nevermind, it's nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing." Yami pried.

Hikari sighed, Yami bugged her about her problems just as much as Pegasus did.

"I was thinking whether or not to ask you questions about your background." Hikari mumbled.

Yami heard her and he smiled. Nobody usually asked questions about backgrounds unless you were at some sort of interview but reminding himself about where she lived, he found it fun.

"Go ahead, ask away." Yami said, "I've got nothing to hide."

Hikari beamed and immediately dropped more than a dozen questions on the man. Many of them were completely random like does he have a middle name?

"My full name is Yami Atem Sennen. I am 21 years old and I was born in Domino City, Japan. I work as a treasurer in my cousin, Seto's, company. I have two siblings, my older brother, Mahad, and my younger sister, Mana."

Hikari continued to plow him with questions until horns blew around the caverns.

**I know... I'm cruel... I gave you all a cliff hanger... At least it's not as bad as the 'Mark of Athena' cliff hanger... **

**Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I feel horrible! I haven't done any disclaimers! Well... Now I'm gonna do them! **

**I don't own Yugioh, I only own the plot and my OC, Hikari. **

**Today is my birthday but I'm gonna give you all a present of a new chapter!**

Both of them looked up, questioning what was going on. Hikari stood and put her head out into the cavern. Many guards had passed by and placed signs around on the cavern walls. Taking one, Hikari read the words carefully.

'_By order of Dartz, Chief Solomon's highest ranked official, all will participate in a search for an outsider that has disappeared on the mountain. If anyone is caught with the outsider, the penalty will be public execution.'_

Hikari gasped. So that was why Dartz and his little dweeb were searching her room. He figured that she would take care of him till he fully healed, if Yami hadn't hidden Dartz's suspicions would have been confirmed. She ran into the room and Yami was looking at her wide eyed.

"What's going on?" He asked.

Hikari gave him the paper but Yami made an exasperated sigh. "I can't read your people's writing."

"Dartz knows you're here. He's calling for an all out search for you." Hikari said, "If you're caught with anyone, the penalty is death."

Yami didn't respond. That penalty was a little extreme, though it may have been his knowledge of the future making him think this way. Yami noticed that Hikari was starting to shake, he figured that she was worried he would be caught.

"I'll be fine, Hikari." Yami tried to soothe her fears.

She looked up at him and shook her head.

"I know you'll be." She said, "Dartz is only doing this to try to marry me, I'm sure of it."

"Why would he want to marry you?" Yami paused for a moment then realized that what he said was stupid. "I don't mean it like that! I mean, he's like 30 and you're what, 16?"

"I'm almost 18." Hikari said with an eyeroll.

"Oh. Well, the age difference is too much!"

"That may be true for you but we still think a couple hundred years behind you. It's common for a 30 year old man to marry a 15 year old."

Yami made a disgusted face and Hikari giggled at the sight. It was nice hearing her laugh, it helped calm Yami's nerves.

Yami thought for a moment about his predicament. He wouldn't be able to escape on foot because of the increased amount of guards running around.

"Would it be easy to escape at night?" Yami asked.

Hikari shook her head. "No, the temperatures would be too cold and the nighttime predators will be on the look out."

Yami groaned and tried to think more. He was running out of ideas and fast.

Hikari knew that Yami was in a bind and she was helpless. Or was she? A smile spread across her face as she remembered a specific detail about the searches. "The searches can only last a certain amount of time!"

Yami looked up at her and she could tell that he didn't get it. "We have a rule that says that if someone starts a search for an outsider then it can only last up to a week. If the outsider manages to evade the search parties then they can't touch him!"

"I don't see how this helps me." Yami said.

"It's simple. I have to continue hiding you for another week and then I can send you home since the search would have officially ended and they wouldn't be able to touch you at all." Hikari said grabbing his hands.

Yami finally understood and smiled. Does this mean he still has a chance to get to the summit? Hikari made a light squeal of joy and jumped in place. Yami laughed at the girl's antic, it reminded him too much of his sister, Mana.

The two spent the remainder of the day talking and some into the night. They only realized how late they were up was when Yami made a yawn and stretched.

"I think we'd better hit the hay." Yami said.

"Huh?" Hikari said.

"You don't know that saying?" Yami asked near laughing.

Hikari shook her head and Yami laughed, "It means, 'Let's go to bed'.

"Oh." Hikari said, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

Hikari went to her room and both were asleep in no time.

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Dartz was up well into the night staring into the night sky. He needed to find that outsider before someone else did. He needed to prove to that insufferable Solomon that he could wed his granddaughter and carry on the tribe. His thoughts drifted to the girl but he brushed away the thoughts for the moment, he needed a clear head for his planning.

"Master Dartz." Espa Roba called from the entrance of his chambers. "There has been no sight of the outsider on the slopes of the mountain; it's safe to say that he or she is already inside."

"I see." Dartz said in his drawled voice, "Prepare for the searching of the interior, that call will come later when I give the command."

Espa Roba nodded and ran off to give the soldiers a fair warning of the searches. Dartz returned to watching the night sky move by. 'Where are you?' He thought.

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The next morning, Yami woke with a start. A horrifying dream had run it's way through his mind. He caught his breath and he remembered what he had seen.

He at first been walking on what looked like solid ground into a cave. As soon as he entered the mouth of the cave, the entrance collapsed, trapping him inside. Then he was running through the darkness when it suddenly swallowed him causing him to wake.

When Yami had finally caught his breath, he noticed that Hikari had entered the room.

"Is everything ok?" She asked rubbing her eye. Yami's noisy wake up had caused her to wake up herself.

"Yeah. I'm ok." Yami said sitting up straight.

Hikari could tell that something was bothering Yami but she didn't push it. She yawned lightly, the sun probably hadn't risen yet. "Sorry to wake you." Yami said sheepishly. Hikari giggled and smiled.

"I needed to get up soon anyway, so you actually did me a favor." She said.

The small pain had disappeared from Yami's eyes and he laughed.

Hikari ran off to get Yami some breakfast and while she was gone Yami realized that he should probably wash up. He felt hideous! Hikari finally returned and he asked her about a bath. She had to think about it for a moment. "That's going to be a little tricky since everyone is looking for you, but I'll go search around the springs and see if one won't be used for a while." Yami nodded and she ran off again.

Hikari ran to get her own breakfast and ate it quickly, running out as soon as Yugi and the gang came in. They tried to call to her, to ask her about today's plans, but she continued to run off. She checked every spring, many of them were booked till nightfall but Hikari was lucky to find one near her room that wasn't going to be used that day.

On her way back to Yami, she bumped into her grandfather, Solomon, the chief of the tribe.

"It's been a while since we've talked." Solomon mused.

"It has." Hikari mused back, "You're always so busy with the tribe but I understand."

Solomon smiled to his granddaughter and the two kept walking. The chief was on edge and Hikari knew it. "Grandpa, is something the matter?"

Solomon gave a sight and slowed his pace.

"This outsider has me on edge." He said not noticing Hikari pale. "What if they are a spy for the Prast's."

The Prast were the civilization that drove Hikari's people into the mountain because they didn't abide by their new laws. they were the reason why outsiders weren't welcome, everyone believed that they were spies.

"Don't worry, Grandpa." Hikari soothed as much as she could with her still pale face.

Solomon nodded and said farewell to his granddaughter. Hikari kept walking and tried to compose herself. 'Even Grandpa is on edge about Yami.' Hikari thought, 'Hiding him just became ten times harder.'

Hikari entered the room and saw that Yami was playing with a small ball of twine that he had found. He looked up when he saw her enter and she could see a questioning look in his eyes. She nodded and he made a loud exclamation. She jumped and quickly shushed him.

Yami was so happy he could probably jump to the moon. After checking once more into the cavern, Hikari called it clear and dragged him quickly down the hall. The architecture of the caverns were incredible, every corner seemed to be hand carved. After turning once, Yami heard flowing water and automatically started to feel sweaty. "I'll be around this corner watching for anyone that'll be coming by." Hikari whispered to him as he entered the spring.

Hikari was not going to watch Yami bathe, it was improper and it would cause her to pass out anyway. She stood guard and heard the water splash inside. When the splashing stopped, she heard voices from inside the spring. How could she be such and idiot! She forgot that there was another entrance into the spring. She checked quickly and saw Yugi, Joey, and the rest of the gang coming into the spring She panicked, just as soon as Yami pulled his shirt over his head she pulled him out of the room and around the corner.

"Hikari!" Yugi called, "What are you doing in here?"

Hikari jumped and faced them. Yami was out of sight and didn't breath.

"I was just checking to see if I left something in here the last time I was here." Hikari lied.

Yugi seemed convinced and smiled. Hikari took the chance to leave and pulled Yami quickly behind her. When they reached the guest room, Hikari pulled the curtain over the entrance and the silence spell was put into place.

"That was too close." Yami said panting.

"I agree." Hikari said leaning against the wall.

Both were silent for a few minutes as the tension died. Yami sat down on the bed and something caught his eye. His large backpack was lying on the side of the room. 'I thought that was in my tent when the avalanche hit.' He thought. Yami looked up at Hikari and asked.

"Where did you get that?"

Hikari looked at him and shrugged.

"I made Espa Roba tell me where your tent had gone so I grabbed it." She said.

Yami dragged the pack over to him and unzipped it. Everything inside was unharmed by the white flume, his extra clothes, his school books, his compass and luckily his iPod still worked. He grabbed the small device and turned it on. "Fully battery," He thought, "lucky me.'

Hikari saw Yami pull out the small device and she automatically was curious. There was nothing like it around where she lived.

Yami saw her curious expression and waved her over. For hour, Yami showed her his belongings, minus the clothing, until they reached his large history textbook.

"This has a couple thousand years of history in it; it's pretty interesting." He said opening to a random page.

Hikari couldn't read the writing and the pictures reflected the glow of the fire. Something on the page caught Hikari's eyes. A picture of a Prast emperor, 'Why are they in here?'

"What is this page about Yami?" Hikari asked pointing to the page with the picture.

Yami flipped a few pages back and noted the chapter title.

"The Prast Empire: This empire may not have lasted the longest but it's strength in battle is the origin of many battle strategies used thousands of years after it's destruction." Yami read off the page.

Hikari didn't speak. The Prasts were gone? 'Does this mean that the high advisers have been lying to us the entire time?' Hikari thought.

Yami looked over to her and gave a worried look. Hikari shook her head and made him continue down the page.

"The Prast empire was created over six thousand years ago, founded by a group of rebels that escaped from religious persecution from an unknown empire. Quickly, the empire soon grew under strong leadership and unknowingly to their enemies, highly trained spies. The best of these spies was known by the code, 'Leviathan', not much is known about the true identity of this spy but records written in the ancient slabs indicate that he had a tattoo of a leviathan on his left shoulder blade."

Hikari listened intently and tried to suck in as much as she could.

"The Prasts were the group that exiled a small band of rebels that are the origin of of a mysterious tribe that inhabit the nearby mountain."

"Hey!" Hikari exclaimed, "There we are!"

Yami chuckled and kept reading.

"This appears to be the fatal mistake of the empire. Not even a year later, internal strife weakened the Prasts, ultimately to their conquering by the nearby Khemitian (Egyptian) Empire."

Yami stopped there. "Is that it?" He asked flipping a few more pages. There was on more information on them. 'Most of their records must have been destroyed.' Yami thought.

"So this thing says that the Prasts have been gone for more than five thousand years?" Hikari asked.

Yami nodded and handed the book to her. Hikari looked at the pictures and sighed.

'We've been able to leave this mountain for so long.' Hikari thought sadly.

Then Hikari's thoughts took a turn. If the Prasts were gone, wouldn't we somehow hear about it?

Someone was keeping secrets from the tribe and she knew exactly who it was.

******Dartz. **

**Don't forget about 'Leviathan', that part is important!**

**Thanks for reading and Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys! I know it's been a while since I've updated this story but since school is starting in a week or two, I wanted to give you guys something before I become MIA for a while. I appreciate all comments and reviews. **

***I don't own Yugioh, that honor belongs to Kazuki Takahashi and other people who helped on the project. **

The next day was rough for Hikari. Soldiers milled around every corner, making moving Yami around difficult. She didn't know if or when Dartz would call for a search of the interior of the mountain but she needed to be ready for it.

She was walking to Yugi's room to talk to him about a safe spot for Yami just in case the call came unexpectedly. Much to her dismay, she saw her cousin talking to the green haired man at the entrance to his room.

"As I've said before, Dartz." Yugi was saying, "I don't know where the outsider is."

"I am just checking bases, young heir." Dartz drawled in a mock formal tone.

'Yeah right.' Yugi thought. He knew better than to truly believe everything Dartz said.

Dartz took the hint that he wasn't wanted here and took his leave. Yugi huffed and then saw Hikari enter the hall.

"Is everything all right, Hikari?" He asked.

"We need to talk in private really fast." She said looking down the halls.

Yugi nodded and they both entered his room. His room was similar to her's but Yugi's was near filled to the brim with an assorted number of games. 'Yami would appreciate those." Hikari thought.

"What is it?" Yugi asked as he pulled the curtain over the entrance.

"I need a back up location just in case Dartz calls an unexpected search of the interior." Hikari said.

"He's going to search everywhere, you know." Yugi said. "The only real safe place is going to be on the mountain side."

"But Dartz'll put guards out there too!" Hikari said, "Could Yami stay in here till it's safe?"

"Yami?" Yugi asked.

"The person I brought in a couple days ago. The outsider..."

Yugi looked at Hikari and tried to say that it still wasn't safe. He soon saw no way around it since she was giving her a puppy dog look.

"All right." He said, "He can stay in here if there is any trouble."

Hikari beamed and hugged her cousin tightly.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, Yugi!" She said before running out of his room.

Yugi shook his head. 'Cousins...'

Hikari walked quickly down the hall back to her room when she saw Serenity, Joey's sister, walking alongside Pegasus.

"Don't worry my dear." Pegasus said, "Everything will work out."

Serenity nodded and held her head up.

'She must be going to prepare for the ceremony.' Hikari thought. 'If only I had that courage.' She brushed the thought away and kept walking. She would encourage Serenity later.

Another minute into her walk, she heard Rex and Weevil groaning.

"Man, the chief gave us a good lecture this time." Rex said.

"Next time, tell me not to help you start an avalanche." Weevil said to him.

"That whole thing was your idea." Rex snapped back at him.

Hikari mentally laughed, they got what they deserved.

"Whatever! We just need to be ready when Dartz needs us." Weevil said.

"What did he want us to do again?" Rex asked scratching his head.

"Don't you listen, dino breath? He wants us to sneak into Hikari's room when he calls for the search!"

"Why?"

"I don't know, there may be something in there worth taking."

Hikari's anger bubbled. Dartz was a real creep when he wanted something he couldn't have.

She didn't reveal herself to the two dweebs and kept walking. She let her anger settle and she soon entered the room again. Yami was half asleep, he had another nightmare and it convinced him not to sleep for the rest of the night. If he weren't a wanted person, Hikari would have taken him to see Pegasus to have the dreams interpreted.

'Yami needs his rest,' Hikari thought as she lit an incense that helped people fall asleep. Not even a minute passed and Yami's breathing deepened and he was out cold.

Yami stood in a dark corridor. He couldn't see anything and couldn't feel anything. Suddenly a bright light lit the room and Yami was blinded. When he opened his eyes, Yami was surrounded by grass and trees of different species. Little creatures stirred around him and gave curious looks.

"Settle down." Yami said raising his hands in surrender, "I don't want to hurt anyone."

The creatures went back to their previous activities not paying Yami any heed. He walked through the grassland and then noticed a golden man, or was it a monster, sitting on the edge of a pond. Yami approached him to try to get a better look at him but accidentally stepped on a stick, making a loud crack.

The man turned around and fully acknowledged Yami.

"Ah," he said, "you've finally arrived."

"You've been waiting for me?" Yami asked.

The man nodded and gestured Yami to sit next to him beside the pond. Yami did so and gasped when he saw what was reflected in the water. He saw the long corridors of the mountain interior; they were empty at the time, but he could tell that they were used often. "What is this?" Yami asked.

"How I watch my people." The man said, "They have been pulled astray by that fiend."

He looked back to the images and saw an older man, he had grey hair and the same purple eyes as Hikari, sitting in a modest throne speaking to the green haired man whom Hikari had called Dartz. The man made a growl. "He has been telling my people lies for centuries."

"Centuries?" Yami blanched. "He doesn't look any older than 30!"

The man gave Yami an apprehensive look and Yami closed his mouth. He probably said something stupid.

"Appearances can be deceiving, young one." The man said waving his hand over the pond.

The images disappeared and the man turned to face Yami. "We do not have much time. You need to find a safe place to hide."

"Hide? From what?" Yami asked.

The man made a frown and whacked the back of Yami's head. "What was that for?" He yelled.

"For asking a stupid question." The man said, "You need to hide from the soldiers of the tribe, they are calling for the search of the interior of the mountain two minutes after I allow you to wake. Hikari will know where to take you."

Yami was still confused. How did this man know what was going to happen?

"Who are you?" Yami asked.

The man made a smirk.

"You will know soon, young one. But for the moment, wake."

Yami shot up in the bed effectively scaring Hikari, who was sitting next to him.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

He looked over to her and the man's warning entered his mind again. 'They are calling for the search of the interior of the mountain two minutes after I allow you to wake..."

"We need to go." Yami said getting out of the bed and grabbing his bag.

"What do you mean?" Hikari asked.

"I was told that the search was going to start in probably less than a minute now." Yami said quickly.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Some guy in my dream told me." Yami said quickly.

Hikari's eyes bugged. 'He' talked to Yami? Without any hesitation, Hikari grabbed Yami's wrist and ran down the hall to Yugi's room.

Yugi was surprised when Hikari ran in unexpectedly and gave her a confused look but all of them froze when a horn blew.

The search had started.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Dartz waited in his small tent with Espa Roba sitting not far from him. 'It won't be long before that outsider is brought to me.' Dartz thought.

The guards checked every corner of the mountain. Often tearing the clothes of people that stood in their way. Pegasus was nearly knocked unconscious by a passing guard when he was trying to protect the people undergoing the ceremony.

Yami could hear the shouting and it pained him to no end. 'These people are suffering because of me.' He thought.

Hikari noticed his downward turn of mood and lightly gripped his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Yami." She said, "Everything is going to be fine."

Yami nodded faintly but made no effort to show that it didn't comfort him. The loud footsteps came and went quickly. After a minute, there was complete silence.

Yugi strained his ears to hear if anyone else was coming.

"I think it's safe for the moment." Yugi said.

The three stood and gathered themselves. Hikari turned to Yami, who still had the downward mood.

"What did the man in your dream look like?" She asked.

Yami looked like as if he had been surprised.

"There wasn't many details." He admitted. "It was if he was a golden man or a monster, I couldn't tell."

It really was him. Yugi and Hikari both wore the same expressions and it annoyed Yami. "What exactly am I missing?" He demanded. Yugi shook off the amazement first.

"Has Hikari explained to you the guardian spirit concept?" Yugi asked.

"Sort of." Yami said. "Why?"

Yugi closed his eyes and concentrated. Next to Yami, a fur ball appeared and nuzzled Yugi expectantly.

"Each member of the tribe has one." Yugi explained. "For the many spirits, there has to be someone to rule them and guide them."

A ruler? For spirits? Yami raised an eyebrow.

"There is an ultimate spirit that the leaders of the tribe are able to commune with." Hikari supplied. "The Forbidden Exodia. He is described as a golden monster but can disguise himself as a man."

"So that was..." Yami trailed away.

He spoke to a really important person... thing?

"It's a great blessing for an outsider to speak with Exodia." Yugi gasped. "He normally only speaks with the chief."

Yami was going to add something, the part about Dartz being centuries old, but a shout interrupted him.

"Yugi!" Joey called and he pushed aside the curtain.

There was silence. Joey, Tristan, Ryou and Malik were all open mouthed at the three in the room.

"Shit."

**Oh no! Yami's been discovered! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please let me know what you think and what I can do to make it better!**


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